All the World’s a Stage

James-Collier, who was in town last week to plug the upcoming season of “Downton Abbey,” thinks his character would be a perfect politician for today. (Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images)

Ben Affleck isn’t the only actor who could play the role of politician.

The star of “Argo” is the subject of chatter about whether he might run for a Senate seat in Massachusetts if Sen. John Kerry is tapped to be secretary of State. Affleck was on Capitol Hill on Wednesday, testifying about the Congo, hanging out with Kerry and looking like he could fit in.

But other stars recently in Washington could see themselves here in what would be the role of a lifetime.

Rob James-Collier, who was in town last week to plug the upcoming season of “Downton Abbey” with his co-stars, thinks his character, the villainous footman Thomas Barrow, would be the perfect politician for today’s troubled times.
“Yea, I think he could be a good politician,” James-Collier told HOH. “[Thomas is] extremely adaptable to any given situation, whatever uncertainty the environment might throw at him, nine times out of 10, he can react quickly and come up with a response.”

If the current fiscal cliff negotiations are any indication, it helps to be resilient. James-Collier said that’s his character, in spades.

“He’s been knocked down, kicked down a few times … he’s gone through the mill,” the actor said. “He always picks himself up, dusts himself off. So, he’s got a thick hide, which I think most politicians need.”

And sometimes being a successful politician, getting your way on public policy, is all about changing with the times, finding a way to adapt to evolving situations and seeing the political landscape clearly.

“I wouldn’t necessarily characterize [Thomas] as evil. I would characterize him as very ambitious because of the way the world is. He’s a pragmatist.”

Pragmatist? It seems like a few of those could come in handy in today’s debates over the size of government, taxes and spending.